I have just finished building the rocket I hope to use for my level 1 high power certification. It is a LOC percision Hi-Tech and it will fly on motors from f to H size (Although some people have put I's in it) First flight will be on an Aerotech F25-4w in about two weeks. I have no Idea when the cert flight might happen, perhaps in another month? It has a 38mm motor mount which requires an adaptor for the 29mm motors I will be using initially. since I am too cheep to buy an adaptor, I made one out of aluminium instead. It is a lot lighter then it looks and way nicer then it needs to be. I'll post video of the flight when it happens!

one of those companies ( i swear its nar im still lookin through their site) offers certs up to lvl 3, but to pass lvl one is just build a few small rockets. and once you get to lvl 3 there are benefits like being able to buy the high powered motors...

might be a different org, ill google rocket certification...

anyways, find 2 people who are part of nar to watch, did nar give you contact numbers or do you just know people?

Sailing Student- How do I know if my life jacket is tight enough?
Me- Can you breathe?
Sailing Student- Yes
Me- Then its too loose!

Motors up to 62.5 grams of propellant (mid-G total impulse level) are model rocket motors and loosely regulated. Larger than that are HPR motors and more tightly controlled.

The two associations that oversee high power rocketry (HPR) in the US and that offer certification programs are the National Assocation of Rocketry (NAR) and the Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA) at www.tripoli.org. Tripoli is far less anal than NAR [who in many ways define the term], however they do have a rigid three-tiered certification program as well. NAR resisted HPR for years, finally caving in and accepting it within their organization. There are funny stories regarding their original hatred of it, including ejecting members who also participated in HPR, members who snuck larger engines into NAR launches to cause trouble, that sort of thing.

Certification is required to purchase motors from HPR motor dealers, unless you are a legitimate organization that uses rockets in the course of business/research, in which case you still have to prove that.

If you want to fly commercial high power stuff, best get involved in a local chapter of one of the two associations. You cannot fly HPR rockets without a waiver from the FAA, so doing it privately is a PITA. Join a club, they have launch equipment and take care of FAA waivers etc. Much simpler.